Understanding Swimming Pool Ventilation

Presented by Tom Sands

Mobile: 07768 244555
Email: tom.sands@ves.co.uk
CPD003/v03tcs2016

1
Learning Objectives

At the end of the presentation you should have a broader

understanding of Swimming Pool Ventilation including:

1. Issues Attributed to Swimming Pool Halls

2. Legislation and Design Guides
3. Studies into Humidity/Evaporation
4. How to Calculate a Ventilation Rate
5. Air Flow Calculation (Working Example)
6. Energy Efficiency and Running Costs
7. Energy Saving Potential
8. System Design Considerations
9. Summary

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Issues Attributed to Swimming Pools

3
 Issues associated with indoor Swimming Pool
environments
• Both water & air must be heated resulting in high energy usage &
operational costs
• Evaporation must be controlled to prevent aggressive condensation
from pool causing severe damage to building fabric
• Pool water must be continuously disinfected with chlorine, which
leads to potentially harmful disinfectant by-products (DBPs)
• DBP’s in both the water & air cause poor experience for swimmers
& potential health effects to both swimmers & pool staff alike
• High maintenance, particularly on the water side
• Storage & handling of hazardous chlorine on site

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Issues Attributed to Swimming Pools
Corrosion & building fabric damage - All three elements
are present for accelerated corrosion in a pool hall.

Moisture Warmth Chlorine

Water containing DBP’s is constantly evaporating from the
warm pool water & is aggressive to the building fabric if
allowed to condense on the fabric.

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Issues Attributed to Swimming Pools

The Environmental Cost

Leisure Centres are one of the most energy intensive

buildings to operate.

According to the Office of National Statistics, in 2012 the

UK sports sector spent ~ £700m on energy

Approximately 70% of these energy costs can be directly

attributed to the swimming pool hall and adjoining
changing areas.

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Issues Attributed to Swimming Pools

Two thirds of energy is accounted for by

Space heating and fans & pumps.

£470m a year

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Increasing pool hall temperatures

Pool types & usage has changed over recent years with;
• An increase in leisure style pools
• Increase in the use of chlorine based disinfection
• Higher pool water temperatures. Typically these have
increased by 1°C over the past 10 years:
Competition Pools 27°C now 28°C
Conventional Pools 28°C now 29°C
Leisure Pools 29°C now 30°C
Learner Pools 29°C now 31°C
Hydrotherapy Pools 35°C now 36°C

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What does a swimming pool ventilation system
need to do?
A swimming pool ventilation system needs to be designed to:

• Heat the air to maintain the pool hall temperature

• Provide sufficient fresh air for swimmers & staff

• Control the relative humidity to prevent aggressive

condensate getting on & into the building fabric where it will
cause damage

• Extract, treat or dilute DBP’s

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Legislation and Design Guides

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Legislation and Design Guides

There are numerous methods around to design pool

ventilation systems.

But other than the building regulations, there is no specific

legislation.

There are however numerous different design guides for

pools available……………

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Legislation and Design Guides
Sport England
Swimming Pools Updated Guidance for 2013

HSE Managing Health & Safety in Swimming Pools.

Published 2003 (Revised 2013)

Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group

Treatment and Quality Standard for Pools and Spas

Building Regulations Approved Document F

Table 6.3 refers to CIBSE Guide B2005

CIBSE Guide B2005

Section 2.3.21 (Table 2.27) - Sports Centre Ventilation Guide

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 Varying Design information
These offer a wide variety of somewhat differing advice;
• Ventilation rate of 4 to 10 air changes per hour – a large difference
• 10 l/s per the total floor area (m²) – somewhat nonsensical?
• 12 l/s of fresh air per person – Correct, but likely to be a secondary
factor
• Minimum 30% fresh air if recirculation is used – an arbitrary figure
• Provide a slight negative pressure in the pool hall to prevent
moisture ingress and permeation -correct
• Control over humidity and temperature - correct
• Air temperature to be ~1°C above pool water temperature –
generally correct
• Pool ventilation system should be operational 24/7 - correct
• Air temperatures should generally not exceed 31oC with a relative
humidity of between 55% and 65% - correct
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Humidity and Evaporation &
how to Calculate a Ventilation Rate

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Humidity and Evaporation

How can we control humidity in a pool hall?

One method is to regulate the difference in absolute moisture

content between outside air (fresh air) and the warm humid
conditions found in a pool environment (pool air).
To do this we can use fresh air as it will always be drier than
pool air.
These properties can be illustrated on a Psychrometric chart…

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Winter Condition: -4°C @ 100% RH
Summer Condition: 28°C @ 50% RH
Pool Hall Condition: 30°C @ 60% RH

Pool Hall
16.3 g/kg
Summer
12.1 g/kg

Winter
2.6 g/kg

-4°C 28°C 30°C

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 How to Calculate Ventilation Rate
As mentioned, there are various methods. But the most reliable
in our experience is the Biasin & Krumme formula.
Firstly we have to calculate the evaporation rate in kg/hr;
Evaporation Rate (m2) =0.118 + (0.01995 x (40 - (42.40 x 0.6)))

Where;
0.118 is an empirical factor applied for the random shape of water
0.01995 is a factor applied relating to heat convection
40.0 is the vapour pressure of pool water at 29°C
42.4 is the vapour pressure of saturated air at 29°C
0.6 = 60%RH
So the above equation can be broken down as follows;
42.4 x 0.6 = 25.44
40 - 25.44 = 14.56
0.01995 x 14.56 = 0.2905
0.118 + 0.2905 = 0.4085 kg/hr/m² continued/2
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 How to Calculate Ventilation Rate
Next calculate the Total Swimming Pool Evaporation Rate = E x U x A

Where:
E = Evaporation Rate
U = Activity Factor (detailed on the following page)
A = Area of swimming pool in m² (in this case we will use a pool with an
area of 300m²)

So; E 0.4085 kg/hr/m² x U 0.4823 activity factor x A 300m2 = 59.1 kg/hr

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 How to Calculate Ventilation Rate
Activity factors are applied to the formula as increased disturbance
of the water surface due to activity increases the rate of evaporation.

Typical factors are;

0.7947 Activated water such as a Jacuzzi, Flume, Wave Pool etc.

0.4823 Large public swimming pool

0.4329 School/Private swimming pools

0.2673 Unoccupied

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How to Calculate Ventilation Rate

Having established the evaporation rate we can now

calculate air volume:

V= W x 1000
(Xi – Xo) x 1.175 x 3600
V = Ventilation rate (m³/s)

W = Evaporation rate from pool (kg/hr)

Xi = Moisture content at design condition (g/kg of air at 30/60%RH)
Xo = Moisture content of ambient air (g/kg of air at 28/50%RH)
1.175 is a constant for air density (kg/m³)
3600 to convert m³/hr to m³/s

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Unusual Factors
Careful consideration should be given to unusual or
additional factors such as:
• If very large numbers of spectators are present
• Very large water attractions in leisure pools such as flumes,
slides & wave pools found in Center Parcs, Butlins, etc
• Large or unusual builiding’s such as this old Victorian
swimming baths

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Calculating Air Flow
(Working Example)

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Calculating Airflow
(Working Example)

The following example has been based on

a typical modern swimming pool:

Internal pool hall volume of 2500 m³

Pool is 25m long with 8 lanes
Pool water temperature is 29ᴼC
Winter temperature: -4ᴼC @ 100% RH
Summer design condition: 28ᴼC @ 50% RH

No pool cover
No additional activated water attractions

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 Calculating Airflow
(Working Example)
First calculate the maximum evaporation rate (kg/hr) when the
pool is occupied.

Evaporation Rate (W/m2) =0.118 + (0.01995 x (40 - (42.40 x 0.6)))

So; 0.4085 kg/hr/m² x 0.4823 activity factor x 300m2 =

59.1 kg/hr (maximum evaporation rate)

40.0 is the vapour pressure of pool water at 29°C

42.4 is the vapour pressure of saturated air at 29°C
300 is the surface area of the pool

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Calculating Airflow
(Working Example)
Then calculate the minimum evaporation rate (kg/hr) when the
pool is unoccupied.
W = (0.059 + 0.0105 x 0.2673 (40.0 – 42.4 x 0.6)) x 300
So the above equation can be broken down as follows;
42.4 x 0.6 = 25.44
40 - 25.44 = 14.56
0.0105 x 14.56 = 0.15288
0.059 + 0.15288 = 0.21188 kg/hr/m² x 300m2 = 63.56 x 0.2673 calm activity
factor
= 17kg/hr
W =17 kg/hr (minimum evaporation rate)
Pool water is assumed to be ‘calm’ therefore activity factor is 0.2673
Vapour pressure and relative humidity of pool water & air at 29°C is as when the
pool is occupied.
0.059 and 0.0105 are reduced constants to take into account undisturbed water.

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Calculating Airflow
(Working Example)
Then you can calculate the maximum and minimum air
volume flow rates (m³/s) for when the pool is occupied
and unoccupied.
59.1 x 1000
V=
(16.2 – 12.0) x 1.175 x 3600
V= 3.33 m³/s (maximum or occupied)

17 x 1000
V=
(16.2 – 12.0) x 1.175 x 3600
V= 0.96 m³/s (minimum or unoccupied)

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Calculating Airflow
(Working Example)

Compare this calculation to other rule of thumb methods:

Biasin & Krumme 3.33 m³/s

4 AC/Hr 2.77 m³/s

10 l/s of total pool hall area 4.64 m³/s

10 AC/Hr 6.94 m³/s

15l/s/m2 of wetted area 4.5m3/s

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Calculating Airflow
(Working Example)

Cross-referencing this against a minimum fresh air

requirement based on 12 l/s per person:

• If you assume an occupancy of 50 people in the

pool hall this would equate to 600 l/s or 0.6 m³/s.

• If the maximum calculated air volume is 3.33 m³/s,

0.6 m³/s would equate less than 20% of fresh air.

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Energy Efficiency & Running Costs

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Energy Efficiency and Running Costs
What is the optimum heat recovery solution for a
swimming pool hall?

Run Around Coil 45% Efficient

- Too Low

Thermal Wheel 75% Efficient

Plate Heat Exchanger 70% Efficient

- This we have found the optimum practical solution, particularly
when combined with the ability to mix/return air from the pool
hall

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Optimum heat recovery

Using a plate heat exchanger combined with a mixing facility &

accurately modulating the amount of fresh air, efficiencies well
in excess of 80% can be attained

If a pool cover is used this can be increased to over 90% during

unoccupied periods using more recirculated air & the dwell time
increases on the plate heat exchanger with a lower air volume

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Energy Saving Potential

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Energy Saving Potential
Using data from the previous examples and typical annual
energy costs and usage:

Occupied Air Volume 3.33 m³/s

Unoccupied Air Volume 0.96 m³/s

Gas Energy Tariff* 3.5 pence per kW/hour

Electrical Energy Tariff* 10 pence per kW/hour
*Gas & Electric Tariffs based on a generic industry national averages

Average Daily Temperature** 11 °C (across the year)

Pool in use 12 hours a day
**Average daily temperature based on Met Office data for London (2014)

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Energy Saving Potential

Total annual saving of over 600,000 kW/h

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Energy Saving Potential

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Importance of high energy efficiency

Why is PHX efficiency and correct air flow so important?

Every 1% decrease in PHX efficiency will have the effect of

increasing running costs by over *£500 per year

Similarly, for every 0.1 m³/s above the required design air flow
it will approximately cost an additional *£240 per year to run

* Based on data taken from previous example

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System Design Considerations

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System Design Considerations
Consideration should also be given to the maximum specific
fan power (SFP) for an air handling unit serving a pool:
Source: Part L2 of the Building Regulations
Existing New Build
Mechanical Ventilation 1.8 W l/s 1.5 W l/s
PHX Heat Recovery 0.3 W l/s 0.3 W l/s
Return Air Filter 0.1 W l/s 0.1 W l/s
Maximum SFP 2.2 W l/s 1.9 W l/s

Because a pool is considered a process, it does not necessarily

need to adhere to ErP 2016 regulations. But well designed
systems would generally do so because of their high efficiencies

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 System Design Considerations
What to look for when designing a pool ventilation
system:
• Selection of durable well protected equipment

• Control options that can accurately maintain an optimum environment

• High energy recovery particularly important during winter months

• Systems that offer low energy use and a low maintenance regime

• Effective air distribution

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System Design Considerations
The use of a high grade paint finish inside and out will
protect the AHU from aggressive chlorinated air.

Whereas the use of low grade materials will not.

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System Design Considerations
Epoxy powder coated dampers.
IP66 damper actuator motors protect against moisture ingress.

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System Design Considerations
Corrosion resistant plate heat exchanger that offer high
transfer of energy (Anodised Aluminium or Virgin Plastic).

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System Design Considerations
Controls are an important integral part of any pool ventilation
system.
A sophisticated control package that enables full control over
temperature and humidity will dramatically improve energy
efficiency.

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System Design Considerations

To ensure the pool ventilation system runs at its optimum it

is highly recommended to have the manufacturer
undertake commissioning of the AHU and control systems.

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 System Design Considerations
Air distribution is very important & warm dry air should be distributed over cold
surfaces to prevent condensation.
Also distribution should be designed as best as possible to allow & even low velocity
(as possible) distribution of air across the pool hall & back to the extract point

Manchester Grammar
school is a recent
project where sock,
fabric ductwork was
retro-fitted to great
effect. The extract
points in the ceiling
had to be re-used

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Summary
• Air volume should be no more than absolutely necessary
as this will be detrimental to running costs.

• Pool halls should be maintained under a slight negative

pressure to prevent pool air permeating other areas of
the building and ingressing into the building fabric.

• A minimum of 20% fresh air should be introduced to the

pool hall to maintain satisfactory air quality.

• Air temperature should be maintained approximately 1°C

above pool water temperature to prevent unnecessary
evaporation.
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Summary

• Air temperatures should generally not exceed 31°C.

Higher air temperatures can become uncomfortable for
pool operators to work.

• Consideration for air distribution is very important &

arm dry air should be distributed over cold surfaces to
prevent condensation.

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Thank you for your time

48
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